Bulbholder assemblies for lamp units

ABSTRACT

A bulbholder assembly for a lamp unit comprises a support plate which is provided with a pair of spaced plunged apertures receiving bulbs. A slot in the plate between the apertures receives a pair of mutually engaging insulating members having recesses in the mutually engaging surfaces thereof. Contact elements are disposed in the recesses to extend therefrom on opposite sides of the plate and lie opposite the apertures. The plate is mounted at its ends in recesses formed in a lens assembly of the lamp unit.

United States Patent Bryant June 17, 1975 BULBHOLDER ASSEMBLIES FOR LAMP [56] References Cited UNITS UNITED STATES PATENTS Inventor: Walter Kenneth Bryant, Shirley, l.703,626 2/!929 Kucn 339/155 L England l.87l.9l0 8/1932 Parker 339/2) T [73] Asslgnee: L i EQ E E fi EZL 1:2 Primary ExaminerRoy Lake g g Assistant Examiner-E. F. Desmond [22] Filed: Dec. 27, 1973 [21 Appl. N0.: 428,799 {57] ABSTRACT A bulbholder assembly for a lamp unit comprises a [30] Fwd n A H P D support plate which is provided with a pair of spaced g pp y a a plunged apertures receiving bulbs. A slot in the plate Umed Kmgdom 203/73 between the apertures receives a pair of mutually engaging insulating members having recesses in the mu- [52] Cl 339/! L; 339/)? 339/171; tually engaging surfaces thereof. Contact elements are 339/188 R disposed in the recesses to extend therefrom on oppo- [Sl] Int. Cl H01! 13/54 i sides of the plate and lie opposite the apertures [58] Field of Search 339/10 88 R 90 1 19 The plate is mounted at its ends in recesses formed in 339/ L, I27 R, 154 L, 155 L, l7l,182 L, I88 R, 206 L, 210T a lens assembly of the lamp unit.

8 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures SHEET PATENIEDJUN 17 1915 SHEET 7 PATENTEDJUN 1 7 I975 FIGiS.

FIG7.

FIGS.

BULBHOLDER ASSEMBLIES FOR LAMP UNITS This invention relates to bulbholder assemblies for lamp units and has for its object to provide a bulbholder assembly which is simple and economic to manufacture.

According to the present invention. there is provided a bulbholder assembly for a lamp unit. comprising a plate having a pair of spaced, bulb receiving apertures therethrough and a slot between said apertures. a pair of electrically insulating members having mutually en gaging surfaces, said members being lodged in said slot and having recesses in the mutually engaging surfaces thereof, and a pair of contact elements disposedin said recesses and extending from sid insulating members to lie respectively opposite said apertures.

Preferably, said contact elements extend on opposite sides of said plate.

Most advantageously, the plate is adapted to be received at its ends in recesses formed in a lens assembly for the lamp, and tags may be provided for limiting withdrawal of the plate from said recesses.

A further contact element may be provided in a recess between the two insulating members, said further contact element extending substantially parallel to one of the first mentioned contact elements.

It is preferred that each insulating member be of stepped form with three surfaces thereof engaging with three corresponding surfaces on the other member.

With such a construction, it is preferred to provide grooves in the insulating members accommodating portions of the plate on either side of the slot. Furthermore, at least one insulating member may be provided with an aperture therethrough in substantial alignment with at least some of the recesses therein.

In one embodiment, a key and keyway arrangement is provided between the insulating members to limit sliding movement of the mutually engaging surfaces relative to one another in one direction.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the ac companying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a plan view of a rear lamp unit, with a lens element thereof shown in section, incorporating a bulbholder assembly according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an elevation of the bulbholder assembly of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of insulating members forming part of the bulbholder assembly of FIGS. I and 2,

FIG. 4 is another exploded perspective view, this time from a different angle, of the insulating members illustrated in FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is an end view in the direction of arrow 0 of the bulbholder assembly of FIG. 2,

FIG. 6 is an end view in the direction of arrow b of the bulbholder assembly of FIG. 2,

FIG. 7 is a scrap view of an alternative form of insulating members,

FIG. 8 is a scrap view of another part of the insulating members of FIG. 7, and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view ofa contact element used in a bulbholder assembly according to the present invention.

The lamp assembly illustrated in FIG. 1 is intended for attachment directly to the rear of a caravan and comprises merely a moulded, translucent lens element l0 and a bulbholder assembly I I. In FIG. I, the face of the lens element 10 is omitted due to the section taken in order to illustrate the bulbholder assembly I] in position. It will be noted that the lamp assembly does not include the usual base plate to which the lens element I0 is attached. In this embodiment, the lens element I0 is secured by screws or the like (not shown) directly to the surface of the rear of the caravan.

The bulbholder assembly II generally comprises a rectangular metal plate 12 lodged at each end in a recess formed in an integral internal projection I3 in the lens element 10. The metal plate I2 is formed with a pair of spaced apertures 14 and IS therein formed by a plunging operation from one side of the metal plate 12. A slot 16 opens onto one longitudinal edge of the metal plate 12 between the apertures I4 and I5. Integral tags I7 are formed at each end of the metal plate I2 for retaining the latter within the recesses in respective projections 13. The bulbholder assembly also includes a pair of electrically insulating members 18 and 19 formed from plastics by a moulding operation and each being of stepped form.' Each insulating member l8, 19 is formed with a respective recess 20, 21 therein of a size to accommodate a portion of the metal plate 12 on a respective side of the slot I6. The insulating members 18, I9 are mounted on the metal plate I2 by engagement in the slot 16 with the said portions of the metal plate 12 extending into the recesses 20 and 21 when the insulating members 18 and 19 are placed together so that respective surfaces 22, 23, 24 and 22', 23', 24' are in mutual engagement. Surfaces 22' and 24' have respective, configurated recess 25, 26 therein, the recess 25 being aligned with an aperture 27 extending through the insulating member I9. Surface 24 has a pair of configurated recesses 28 and 29 therein, the recess 28 being aligned with an aperture 30 passing through the insulating member 18 and the recess 29 being aligned with an aperture 31 also passing through the insulating member 18. Further more, the recess 29 is aligned with recess 26 when the two insulating members l8 and I9 are disposed together in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1.

The bulbholder assembly further includes three contact elements 32 (see especially FIG. 9) which are disposed in the respective recesses 25, 28 and 29. Each contact element 32 comprises a contact blade 33, a sleeve 34 for receiving a terminal (not shown) on the end of a lead, and a projection 35. As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the contact element 32 engaged in recess 25 has its contact blade 33 extending in spaced parallel relationship to the metal plate I2 and terminates opposite aperture 14. The contact elements 32 in recesses 28 and 29 have their contact blades 33 extending in spaced parallel relatinship with respect to the metal plate 12 and terminate adjacent aperture 15 on the opposite side of the metal plate 12 to the contact blade 33 associated with aperture 14. The leads to the respective sleeves 34 pass through respective apertures 27, 30 and 31.

In use, a bulb (not shown) is located in each plunged aperture 14, 15 to extend on opposite sides of the metal plate 12 and to engage with the respective contact blades 33. The plunging operation employed to form apertures 14 and 15 also produces tags 36 whereby the bulbs are held in position in apertures 14 and I5. Electrical circuit to the bulbs is completed by way of metal plate 12 which has a terminal 37 riveted thereto.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings, there is illustrated therein a pair of modified insulating members H8. 119 which are identical to insulating members l8 and 19 with the exception that they are provided with an arrangement of mutually keys I20. I21 and respective keyways I22, I23 for preventing sliding movement between the insulating members 118. I19 when the latter are in position in slot 16 in the metal plate 12.

It will be manifest that the bulbholder assemblies described hereinabove are of simple construction can be easily assembled and that lamp units incorporating such assemblies are economic to manufacture since there is no need to supply a separate base plate to which the bulbholder assembly and lens element are attached.

I claim:

I. A lamp unit comprising a lens element, and a bulbholder assembly, the bulbholder assembly including a plate received at its ends in recesses formed in said lens element, said plate having a pair of spaced, bulb receiving apertures therethrough and a slot between said apertures, a pair of electrically insulating members having mutually engaging surfaces, said insulating members being lodged in said slot and having recesses in the mutually engaging surfaces thereof, and a pair of contact elements disposed in said recesses in the mutually engaging surfaces and extending from said insulating members to lie respectively opposite said apertures 2. The lamp unit according to claim 1. wherein said contact elements extend on opposite sides of said plate.

3. The lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein tags are provided for limiting withdrawal of the plate from said recesses in the mutually engaging surfaces of said insulating members.

4. The lamp unit according to claim I, wherein a further contact element is provided in a recess between the two insulating members, said further contact element extending substantially parallel to one of the firstmentioned contact elements 5. The lamp unit according to claim I, wherein each insulating member is of stepped form with three surfaces thereof engaging with three corresponding surfaces on the other member.

6. The lamp unit according to claim 5, wherein grooves in the insulating members accommodate portions of the plate on either side of the slot 7. The lamp unit according to claim 5, wherein at least one insulating member is provided with an aperture therethrough in substantial alignment with at least some of the recesses thereinv 8. The lamp unit of claim 1, wherein a key and keyway arrangement is provided between the insulating members to limit sliding movement of the mutually engaging surfaces relative to one another in one direction, 

1. A lamp unit comprising a lens element, and a bulbholder assembly, the bulbholder assembly including a plate received at its ends in recesses formed in said lens element, said plate having a pair of spaced, bulb receiving apertures therethrough and a slot between said apertures, a pair of electrically insulating members having mutually engaging surfaces, said insulating members being lodged in said slot and having recesses in the mutually engaging surfaces thereof, and a pair of contact elements disposed in said recesses in the mutually engaging surfaces and extending from said insulating members to lie respectively opposite said apertures.
 2. The lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein said contact elements extend on opposite sides of said plate.
 3. The lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein tags are provided for limiting withdrawal of the plate from said recesses in the mutually engaging surfaces of said insulating members.
 4. The lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein a further contact element is provided in a recess between the two insulating members, said further contact element extending substantially parallel to one of the first-mentioned contact elements.
 5. The lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein each insulating member is of stepped form with three surfaces thereof engaging with three corresponding surfaces on the other member.
 6. The lamp unit according to claim 5, wherein grooves in the insulating members accommodate portions of the plate on either side of the slot.
 7. The lamp unit according to claim 5, wherein at least one insulating member is provided with an aperture therethrough in substantial alignment with at least some of the recesses therein.
 8. The lamp unit of claim 1, wherein a key and keyway arrangement is provided between the insulating members to limit sliding movement of the mutually engaging surfaces relative to one another in one direction. 